[Jean-Paul]

I'm pretty brazen I guess. If I don't know someone, I will just call the HR department and convince them that they NEED what I have to say. Maybe I'm just so convinced of it myself that I infect them with my sense of urgency, and I usually get them to book me at the earliest possible opportunity.

Do a little research on each company you want to approach. Write a bio on yourself and email it to them, then call a week or two later. They won't remember the email, but they'll be familiar with your name, and will be too embarrassed to say that they can't remember where they heard of you, so they will just say, "oh, I've heard of you!"

Or find out who their receptionists are by name... Be playful, friendly, complimentary. The key to any exec is their support staff. They can make you or break you. Get on their good side, and you get the keys to the kingdom, because they have the boss's ear.

People want to feel important. If you present yourself as an important person with crucial knowledge to impart, you can make some progress. But if as that important person you pay close attention to them and find out something neat about them, then let them talk about it for a bit, they will eat out of your hands!

Also, don't just ask once and drop it. Drop them some mail over the month(s), and stay in touch. Build the relationship. Maybe you will meet some of these people at Chamber meetings with a couple of drinks in them. Just stay on their radar and try again later.

Get someone with a professional sounding voice (like a client or your wife) to call as your booking agent/assistant to call on your behalf.

Send them a press kit with any articles you've written, a link to your web site, and clippings of articles written about you.

Do some youtube demos and make sure that those are featured prominently on your site. If they see you in action they can picture you in front of their workforce.

Hell, make a list of a couple of companies and their phone numbers. I will call one (with you secretly on the line on a 3-way call) so you can hear how I do it.

It's not all that hard... All you have to do is lay out your course of action and follow it. Make a commitment to call at least 3-5 companies a day for a month. You CAN'T miss on all of them.